Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-02-11

came along and helped him out. At this
time the car was already ON fire, and i'll a
few minutes the entire wreck and bridge
was IN flames Sheels's friend James can
not be found and is probably lost. Sheets
has started back for home. He says that
he thinks that there We're only eight in
the Springfield sleeper but the other four
cars were full.
ANOTHER STATEMENT.
An occupant of the Boston sleeper whose
name could not be ascertained, said the
car was full every berth being occupied.
The train was late out of White River
junction, and when it left 1t had sleeper
from Springfield besides a passenger car.
He thinks it must have been about 2;lO a..
m. when he was awakened by the CULVER
ing of the car, as if ii was off the rail.
This movement he noticed but short
time when he became conscious that the
coach had gone of the abutment of the
bridge, and was sinking with frightful
rapidly. The car turned upside down i'll
its descent, and, when 1t struck the
ice on the river, the top crushed in. He
occupied lower berth, and, almost
by superhuman eXertions. succeeded
in eXtrcating himself from the wreck
He was well acquainted with the oc-
eupant of the upper berth, a Boston
gentleman, and quickly as possible
set himself at work to relieve his
friend He worked with energy, and by
kind words cheered him, bnt his efforts
proved unsuccessful, and he WAS driven
away by the flames. and became an invol-
untary witness to the horrible death of
his COMPANION. who was burned before
his eyes. He saw quite number of per-
sons rescued. many with severe bruises
and burns.
EXPEEssMAN ROBBINS.
Express Messenger \. c. Robbins said :
1T is probably one of the worst accidents
that ever took place in the United States
We had just drawn out of White River
Junction. and were going at the rate of 20
or 80 miles an hour. l noticed, when we
came upon the bridge, that there was
slight jar, but would have thought moth
ing about it had it not been for what hap
pened afterwHrd. When we were fairly
upon the bridge we felt a shock and heard
4 crash behind. When we looked out, we
saw the four rear cars piled upon each
other over the edge of the bridge | was
u the car just in front of the one that first
went down. When that car came to the
place we had got over, it gave sudden
lurch and all four remaining cars went
full speed over the edge of the bridge.
They pitched over so fast that it hardly
scratched the edge of the bridge, and in
few minutes they were all on fire with all
the people in them. l can't talk about
1t, he said. 1T was awful-the worst
thing ever saw or heard Of
IRA \. CHASE.
Ira a. Chase OF Bristol was at White
River Junction and went to the wreck on
special train. He said: Two passenger
coaches, the Boston sleeping car "pil-
grim and the Springfield sleeper st.
Adams went of the bridge at the end, ON
the right hand side, and apparently turn
ed bottom side up in the tall. Man living
near by stated that when ne got at the
scene there wa, no lire except in the for
ward passenger car, 1ut the flames soon
spread to the other three cars and then to
the bridge. Al were consumed Tween
ty-siN persons. 50 far as known, were
burned, Two OF these are understood to
be Mr.. Wesson, pistol manufacturer of
Springfield, and the other Ed. Brockle-
banks, brakeman, but they died soon
after. The two passenger coaches were
well filed and every berth in the Boston
sleeper was reported to re occupied, and
y berths in the Springfield, making the
total number OF passengers in the wrecked
cars about 80. This will probably make
the number of dead between 80 and 60.
The bridge was 80 TO 40 feet above water,
which was covered with thick ice, making
II probable that death resulted from
crushing and burning, rather than from
drowning Several were penned into the
wreck who might have been rescued alive
but for the flames.
.. W. PREV.
D. W. Prev of Providence, Il. l., was a
passenger in the coach next to the smok-
ing car, and only escaped being one of the
unfortunates by taking seat in the
smoker. He said that Conductor Sturte-
want had punched his ticket and had
taken fare from passenger across the
aisle who gave him (Sturtevant), a five
dollar bill. This ne could not change
but Informed the passenger that he
would return with the proper
change in few moments. Mr..
Prev left the car at this point, be
cause, as he said, there was too much
noise in the car made by party of young
people from Concord, y. H., en- route
for the Montreal carnival. AS he passed
into the Smoker" he heard jar, and
what appeared like tugging at the coup
ling of the car. He re opened the door and
the four remaining cars of the train were
seen barely for a second dashing down
the siXty-five foot embankment. The
train was brought to a stop as soon
As possible and backed up to the scene
Of the accident. The four cars were found
down the embankment completely over
turned and in less than twenty minutes
were one mass of flame
The scene beggars description. Mingled
with the uproar of the fire We're the cries
OF the imprisoned passengers crying
Il.. l.